Trunk.



PATENTED DEC. 26, 1905 I. MENDEL.

TRUNK.

APPLIoATxoN funn JULY zo, 1905.

if lill www w and the flap ISIDOR MENDEL, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

TRUNK.

Speccaton of Letters Patent.

Patented nec. 26, 1905.

Application filed July 20, 1905. Serial No. 270,489.

To ol zU/wm/ it may concern.'

Be it known that I, IsIDoR INIENDEL, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Cincinnati, Hamiltoncounty, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trunks and I do declare the following to be a clear, full, and exact description of the invention, attention being called to the accompanying drawings, with the reference characters marked thereon, which form also a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in trunks, chests, or similar baggage implements which consist substantially of two parts hinged4 or otherwise secured to each other and of which one serves as a lid to close the other and where one of these parts is provided with a flap or door to close it independently and against the other part, particularly when the trunk is closed. Of the two parts or sections constituting such a trunk one is usually of less depth and is considered the lid,

over the other part with more or less lap compels attachment of the hinges, whereby this iiap is secured at a point within this lid and somewhat back from its free edge. This location of the turning-point prevents swinging of the flap out and back as far as such might be desirable to obtain the freest access possible and entirely unhampered from obstruction by this iiap.

In view of this objection myinvention purposes to attach such a ap in a manner which permits it to be opened fully and also to be thrown over and turned around and back of its point of attachment so as to be entirely out of the way, thus rendering access to the particular compartment free and convenient and the same as if such a flap were not present at all.

Another object is to provide means for locking such a ilap in its closed position.

My invention is particularly useful when applied in connection with so-called Wardrobe-trunks, which are trunks of larger size and are used opened or closed like a wardrobe, being set on end for such purpose. In such connection the flap mentioned serves like a door, and it is quite an advantage to be able to swing this door not only fully open, but to also swing it back and beyond the edge to which it is attached and around to the side of the trunk, so as to be entirely out of the mentioned above is usually se-v cured within this lid. This latter closing way, giving free and unrestrained access to the interior of the particular trunk-section.

In the following specification, and particularly pointed out in the claims at the end thereof, is found a full description of my invention, together with its manner of use, parts, and construction, which latter is also illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which show my invention as applied to a wardrobe-trunk, and in which` Figure l shows such a wardrobe-trunk in a perspective view, the two sections of it being partly separated or open, the flap or door of one of the sections and whereby the same may be individually closed being closed, however. Fig. 2 is a part of the preceding figure and shows the door or flap mentioned before open. Figs. 3 and 4 are parts of an enlarged horizontal section of this door, showing it near that one of its upright edges whereby it is attached to the particular trunk-section which it is intended to close, parts of this latter being also shown, the rst figure showing the door closed and as it appears in Fig. 1, and the other iigure shows it open as it appears in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 shows a sectional detail view of one of the locking-bolts whereby the door is held in its closed position. Fig. 6 is an enlarged front view of the tumbler mechanism whereby all locking-bolts are simultaneously manipulated from a central position. Fig. 7 is a rear view of this mechanisrn; and Fig. S is a section thereof, taken on a line substantially horizontal.

In the drawings,Aand B are the two sections of the trunk, hingedly attached to each other and fitted to close against each other,

one forming the lid for the other. In a wardrobe-trunk one of these sections at least is provided with a door, as shown at D. Since the edges of this lid-section B overlap somewhat the edges of the other section when closed against the same to insure a dust-proof closure, it follows that door D cannot be hinged to the eXtreme free edge I) of this section, but must be attached somewhat back of these edges and as best shown in Figs. 1 and 3. A door so attached could, however, for obvious reasons not open farther than is indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, which opening is not sufficient to permit a free and convenient appro ach and access to the open front of this section. To overcome this difficulty, I provide and arrange means which permit said door to be swung around this edge and roov turned back and beyond the same and toward the side of this trunk-section, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 4, and in which position it is entirely out of the way and does not project forward and in front of the trunk-section, as it would otherwise do and as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3. For such purpose I provide an intermediate and narrow flap F, which is hingedly attached inside of the trunksection at a point where otherwise the door would be hinged and which is of limited width and of such size as to project when swung out beyond the edge t of the trunk-section, thus forming a free and projecting edge thereat to which the door Dis hinged and around and about which edge the same may freely swing and as best shown in Figs. 2 and 4. When swung inwardly for closing, the two move together and are capable to swing into alinement, as best shown in Fig. 3, and in which position the two together fill the width of the opening and close the trunk-section completely, as best shown in Fig. 1. In detail this flap F is hinged to trunk-section B within the same, and door D is hinged to this flap. By preference I use a compound hinge II at two or more points, each hinge consisting of three leaves, the center one, 10, of which is attached to ilap F and reaches across the same, while of the others one leaf 11 attaches to the trunksection and the other, 12, attaches to the door. Suitable locking means are used to hold this door in its closed position, which by preference are sliding bolts 13, spring-actuated so as to engage automatically with their keepers 14 for locking, while for unlocking they are positively manipulated. In Fig. 5 I show one of these bolts in detail, the same being contained in a housing 15, whereby it is attached to the door, and a spring lis provided, sleeved onto its diametrically-reduced shank and held between the enlarged outer end of the bolt and an internal shoulder 17, the action being normally outwardly. The projecting end of the bolt is beveled, so that when the door is pushed shut and said end comes in contact with keeper 14 the bolt will first recede and then snap in behind its keeper. I use at least one bolt for each of the free edges of the door and provide means whereby all bolts may be simultaneously withdrawn from their keepers when it is desired to open the door and for such purpose connect all of them by means of links 18 to a central tumbler or rocking plate 19, pivotally supported on the door and provided with an operating-lever or thumb-piece 22 for manipulation. Since this door is very light, it is preferable to provide a suitable intermediate frame 21 to obtain a more substantial support, which frame is attached to the door. There projection of this thumbpiece in front of the door is objectionable, the frame is in shape of a shallow cup, which is set into an opening in the door and provided with. an annular flange 23 for attachment. The rocker-plate 19 is mounted on the rear side of this cup, and its thumb-piece projects through a lateral slot 24, so as to be accessible from the outside.

The manipulation is readily understood, the thumb-piece being pushed from the position shown in Fig. 6 into the one shown in dotted line in same ligure, whereby links 18, connecting to all the bolts, withdraw them simultaneously from their keepers. Springs 16 return all parts to their normal-positions. As before stated, for closing the bolts yield automatically to clear the keepers. It would not be desirable to have all the links 18 and the rocking plate participating in this movement on account of the additional resistance which such simultaneous movement of all these parts would interpose. For this reason the connection of links 18 to bolts 13 is arranged so as to be operative and positive only for the purpose of withdrawing these bolts and when this motion proceeds from actuation of the links. The bolts are left free, however, to yield inwardly independently of the links when striking their keepers. This is accomplished by having the engaging ends of links and bolts hook-shaped, as shown at 25, and which permits the bolts to yield inwardly independently of the links when action proceeds against their outer ends. The parts are held to movements in 'liXed directions, bolts 13 being guided within their housing and the ends of links 18 being guided by passing through slots 26 in the ends of these housings.

In the finished trunk all structural and operative parts may be covered except such parts where this cannot very well be done or which must be free to access for manipulation.

As will be seen, I attain the object of my invention as set out in the preamble by means of the improved construction described herein.

Having described my invention, I claim. as n ew 1. The combination in a sectional trunk of a flap hingedly attached at its inner edge within one of the sections thereof and back from one of the edges of the same, said flap being of a width so as to project to or beyond this edge and a door hinged to the free outer edge of this flap.

2. The combination in a sectional trunk of an internal door provided to close one of the sections thereof, such door consisting of the door proper and of an intermediate -flap, the two being fitted together so as to close when alined the opening of the particular trunksection, both being hingedly attached to each other and the flap being hingedly secured to this trunk-section.

3. The combination in a sectional trunk of a door and a flap both 'litted together so as to ICO IIO

ISO

close when alined the opening of one of the sections of the trunk, three-leafed hinges secured each with their center leaf to the flap and connecting on one side with one of their leaves to the door and on the other side, with their other leaf to the trunk-section.

4. The combination in a sectional trunk of a narrow fla hinged within one of the sections thereo a door hinged to this Hap, the

1o combined width ofthe two being arranged so as to fit across the opening of the particular section so as to close the same and means to hold this ap and door in their closed positions.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my 15 signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ISIDOR MEN DEL.

Witnesses C. SPENGEL, HOMER BRADFORD. 

